Joker 2 fans think footage of Joaquin Phoenix ‘awkward’ reaction in interview predicted film’s response
No matter how good something may look in the trailers, you can rarely predict when a film will randomly flop.
Joker 2’s trailers were all incredibly well received, which did not come as a suprise. The film was a follow on from Joker, which made a billion dollars and won two Oscars, and added an Oscar-nominated beloved actress to the cast in Lady Gaga.
Yet, it's now undeniably become a flop.
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Some fans, however, are looking back on an ‘awkward’ reaction in an interview from Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga when asked about the film, and feel it may have even predicted the film’s response.
On October 3, a day before the film was released, an account called Gaga Notify posted a video with the caption: “Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix’s reaction when asked if they enjoyed the final cut for Joker: Folie à Deux."
The video sees the two looks at each other awkwardly, each looking to the other.
The interviewer on Good Morning Britain saw the pair stare at each other for a few seconds in silence, before Lady Gaga said: “Tell them how you feel, Joaquin”.
Phoenix then said: “It's so hard to talk about, but I think we feel like we achieved what we set out to do."
The video on Twitter simply cut off with the awkward look, but fans still feel it is demonstrative of the actors knowing what was to come in the film being slammed.
One reply said: “They knew then it was a massive sh*t show didn’t they!?!”
Another compared it to Emilia Clarke being asked if she was happy with the ending to Game of Thrones, leading to an awkward laugh.
The film has been a huge flop so far, with critical response in the toilet, fans walking out of the cinema, and a 33 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Added to this, the movie has earned a comparatively pitiful amount a the box office to its predecessor.
The domestic box office, more than three times less than the first film, was actually less than Morbius in the end.
This is despite a $200 million budget.
Phoenix earned $20 million for the film, with director Todd Phillips earning the same, and Lady Gaga earning $12 million.
The ending in particular has been controversial, with some branding it ‘horrible’.
Spoilers for the ending to Joker 2.
The ending to the film sees an inmate telling a joke to Phoenix’s Arthur, aka the Joker.
The punchline – unfortunately – is him stabbing the Joker to death, before carving a Heath Ledger style Chelsea Grin into his face.
Director Todd Phillips said he felt 'Joaquin is so beautiful in that scene'.
He said: "I think Arthur has found peace with the idea, with the struggle that it's okay to be yourself.
"And that's really what he's always struggled with, you know what I mean? I like to think he died at peace in a way being himself."
Topics: Film, Lady Gaga, Joaquin Phoenix, Joker, TV and Film
Michael Slavin